Fluid control valve



Dec. 23, 1941. w. H. wlLcOx ETAI.

FLUID CONTROL VALVE Filed Jan. 19, 1940 INVENToRs n. H. IVz' [cox By v O. CHaSa-n ATTORNEY.

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" `I Patented Dec. 23, A1941 UNITED sTA'r as PATE Nr oar-ica raum con'raonvALvE william n. winmx mi owen o. nuams'mmn,

Calif mignon to California geiler-Products Company, a corporation Application January 1s, 1940, semi No. :414,606Y

i v 5 Claims. `(Cl'. 137-139) This invention relates generally to a fluid control valve, *andv in particular is directed to an electrically actuated control valve adapted to be' interposed between a source of compressed air and a air actuated power mechanism.

v-Th'e principal object of thev present invention is to provide an electrically actuated fluid control valve which will operate at extremely high speed:

the valve in actual test having'opened and closed 1500 times per minute. A valve having such4 characteristic is ,of universal adaptation,v and particularly in connection with automatic, high speed production machines.`

Another object of the "invention a fluid control valve which, while being practically instantaneous inioperation, functions smoothly and quietly, and with a minimum of vibration, as is desirable.

A further object of the invention is to provide a fluid control valve which may be mounted in is to provide4 a relatively inaccessible position and yetbe operated electrically from a remote point.

A further object oi' the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the lpur Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional the tubular core and mainly in the projecting portion thereof, or.' in other words, offset from lthe center of length of the coil: said valve being double end'ed, with the ends formed as taper valve heads B and 5a. The portion of the coree` in which the valve reciprocates has longitudinalair bypass grooves 8 cut therein in circumferentially spaced relation.

.The taper valve head 5 of valve4 is normally engaged in a corresponding taper seat 'lfiormed in the adjacent lend of plug 3: there being an air passage 8 bored axially through said plug from the seat 1, and an air supply pipe 9 is connected by suitable fittings Iil'with said bore.

The valve 4 is held in such normal position by v means oi' a helical compression spring II in the tubular core, and disposed under compressionbetween the end of the valve from which taper head 5a projects and a shoulder i2 on an adjustment stem I3 screwed into the adjacentend ofL the core'.- The tapered head 5a at it inner end is of substantially less diameter th the diameter of the body of cylindrical valve 4 whereby to form an annular shoulder for the reception of the adjacent end of said spring. Inwardly of shoulder I2 the stem extends within the spring to a point adjacent but normally spaced from Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawing, the device` comprises an electro-magnetic or solenoid coil I 'wound abouty a tubular corel of non-magnetic material such as brass; such core' 2 projecting some distance beyond one end of the coil I as The outer end of the projecting portion of core 2 is fitted with a screw plugb 3 which in turn projects axially from said portion'of the core; r l the plug beyond the threaded end thereof being the same diameter as said core. This plug is likewise of a non-magnetic material.

.A cylindrical, reciprocatingy valve 4, preferably of steel or other magnetic metal, is disposed in valve head 6a. The inne end of -said stem is formed with a taper seat I4, and an axial'bore IE leadsfromthe seat to the outer end of said stem. The face oftaper head 5a is sheathed-as shown at l6 with a non-magnetic metal tc prev'ent sticking of said head with valve seat I3 which is of a magnetic metal.

An initially split base I1 of steel surrounds the exposed or projecting portion of vcore .2 as iTell as the plug 3; such base supporting a lsteel cylinder I8 disposed radially of said core. A plunger I9 is disposed in the cylinder and projects from the open end thereof as at 20. A radial port 2l connects between the cylinder and the interior of the core at a point adjacent the inner end of plug 3,

The device is supported by a `frame member 2li secured on the cylinder I8, and including a lateral bracket 23 through/which stern I3 projects, o

a nut 24 clamping the bracket against the adjacent end of the core.

In the present embodiment, the plunger I9 actuates a lever 25 pivoted on member 22 and normally urged toward a stop 26 by a compression spring 21; the mechanism actuated by the plunger through said lever, including a rod 28. However. it is apparent that diierent forms of power .mechanisms may be substituted for cylinder Il," plunger Il, and the actuated elements 25, 21 and\ 2l.

Operation In the operation of the hereinbefore described fluid control valve, the pipe 8 is connected with a source of compressed air or other fluid, while the leads L of coil I extend to andare connected with a source of current; one of said leads having a normally open make and break switch, either mechanical or electrical, interposed therein.

With closing of such switch and energization of coil I, a magnetic field is at once created. When this field is created, valve 4 snaps in a direction toward stem Il which breaks tapered valve head 5 from seat 1 and simultaneously engages tapered valve head 5a in seat Il in closing relation therewith. When this occurs the compressed air from pipe 9 ilows instantaneously through passage 8 and into the adjacent end of tubular core 2, and thence passes through port 2l into cylinder I8 where it'actuates plunger I9. j

As the switch breaks open and de-energlzes coil I, the magnetic field fails and valve I reciprocates to its normal position under the inuence of compression spring II; the air then being forced -back from beneath spring returned plunger tremely rapid, and even upon high speed of the threaded into the core at the end adjacent said one tapered portion of the valve member; the inner end portion ofsaid adjustment screw being reduced in diameter to form another annular and radial shoulder and against which shoulder the other end of said spring engages, the inner end of said adjustment screw being formed as one of said valve seats.

3. In an electro-magnetic fluid control valve which includes a solenoid coil having a tubular core, means in the core intermediate its ends forming facing but axially spaced valve seats, a valve member disposed for reciprocation inthe chamber formed in the core between said valve seats, said valve member being adapted at its ends for closing engagement with said seats, a fluid pressure intake passage in the core outwardly of and in communication with one of said valve seats, and a fluid pressure outlet passage in the core outwardly of and in communication with the other of said valve seats; a spring in` the core engaging the valve member and urging the same .into normal closing engagement with said one valve seat, said valve member being operative to retract from said one valve seat against said spring and to engage said lother valve seat in closing relation upon energizationof the coil and under the influence of the resulting magnetic field, there being a fluid outlet port in the core from said chambencand means to bypass fluid between said p'ort and said other valve seat when the valve member into normal closing engage- From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that we have produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this lspecification sets forth in detail the present and preferred construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In an electromagnetic fluid control valve which includes a solenoid coll having a tubular core, means in the core forming facing but axially spaced valve seats, and a valve member disposed for reciprocation in the chamber /in the core formed between said valve seats, the end portions I of said member being tapered for closing engagement with said valve seats; the inner end of one of said tapered portions of the valve member being of lesser diameter than the adjacent portion of the valve member whereby to form an annul lar and radial shoulder, and a helical compresment'with one valve seat, said valve member being operative to retract from said one valve seat against the urge of said yieldable means and to engage the other valve seat in closing relation upon energization of the coil and under the influence of the resulting magnetic fleld, and means to bypass fluid between said port and said other valve seat when the valve member is in said normal position; the cylindrical valve member having a close running t with the longitudinal wall of said chamber, and said last named means cornprising a longitudinal groove in said wall extending from said port toward said other valve seat.

and to a point beyond the wall engaging portion of the valve member when the latter is in said normal position.

5. In an electro-magnetic fluid control valve which includes a solenoid coil having a tubular core, facing axially spaced valve seats in the core,

,there being a fluid outlet port in the core from the chamber formed between said valve seats, a

cylindrical valve member slidably disposed in said chamber for reciprocation therein, the ends of the valve member being adapted for closing engagement with said seats, means yieldably urging the valve member into normal closing engagement with one valve seat, said valve member being operative to retract from said one valve seat against the urge of said yieldable means and to engage the other valve seat in closing relation upon energization of the coil and under the iniuence of the resulting magnetic field, and means to bypass uid between said port and said other valve seat when the valve member is in said normal position: the cylindrical valve member having a close running t with the longitudinal wall of said chamber, and said last named means comprising a plurality of longitudinal grooves in said wall in circumterentially spaced relation, said grooves extending vfrom the plane of said port toy ward said other valve seat and to a. point beyond the wall engaging portion of the valve member when the latter is in said normali position.

WILLIAM H. WILcoX. OWEN C. HAGAN. 

